NASA scientists have discovered an amazing new life-form that redefines what we consider to be the basic building blocks of life.

A microbe found at the bottom of Mono Lake in California seems able to live in a solution of arsenic which is poisonous to most other life.  Phosphorus, which used to be considered one of the essential building blocks of life, is replaced by arsenic in this organism.

Dr. Sasselov, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and director of an institute on the origins of life there said, “I would like to know, when designing experiments and instruments to look for life [on other planets], whether I should be looking for same stuff as here on Earth, or whether there are other options.  Are we going to look for same molecules we love and know here, or broaden our search?”

Seems like we have aliens right here on earth!!!

Original NYTimes article…

Well, I guess TWISmas is their crazy way of celebrating the holidays with science twist. To win an Evolvems™ toy, just write and submit a holiday story or song that somehow includes the theory of evolution.

Email submissions to – kirsten@thisweekinscience.com with TWISmas as the Subject.

TWISmas Evolvems™ Giveaway Details

“What!?!?” you say!  Well watch this video from Nat Geo that describes how the turkey on your dinner table evolved from theropod dinosaurs.

Celebrate this historic anniversary of one of the most important books of all time by reading select passages of  “On the Origin of Species” on the New York Times online.

The album features two songs for those who love dinosaurs and are into evolution:

• “I am a Paleontologist”
• “My Brother the Ape”

I say this is a must buy for kids and adults who love Science and fun music.

Below is the video for “I am a Paleontologist.” Enjoy!

Virus and the Whale

The National Science Teacher Association has published a book called Virus and the Whale: Exploring Evolution in Creatures Small and Large.  It is an activity book about Evolution for grades 5-8.   This book could be a great resource for teachers and parents to help their kids explore the science of evolution.  It can be purchased from the NSTA website in book or electronic form here.
Below is the official description of the book:

With this lively book of activities as their guide, students can follow seven scientists into their labs and out to the field to discover how evolution works. Meanwhile, you’ll benefit from the practical help the book provides with the twin challenges of evolution: what to teach and how to teach it.

For students, Virus and the Whale brings to light some of today’s most exciting and up-to-date research through the stories of scientists who study evolution. Each featured research project highlights an important aspect of evolutionary biology, from the “arms race” between viruses and their human hosts to the long-term evolutionary changes that can turn a land mammal into a whale. The activities lead students to investigate evolution as they try out the kinds of creative thinking skills real scientists use to make new discoveries.

For teachers, three preliminary chapters explain how to use the scientists’ stories as a logical framework for teaching evolutionary concepts. These chapters provide accurate natural history background; offer additional information on the evolution of each of the seven organisms investigated in the book; and introduce common ways in which children and adults think and learn about evolution. Each activity lists learning outcomes tied to the National Science Education Standards and includes assessment questions and materials lists.

Virus and the Whale combines a dynamic narrative with easy-to-use activities, clear illustrations, and a welcome dose of humor.

Denver the Last Dinosaur was pretty bad and pretty 80′s, but I definitely remember watching episodes of this.  I can’t say this show is responsible in any way for my current love of science but it is still fun to look back.

Here is a Brian’s blog post…

I had the pleasure this Memorial Day weekend of seeing a special premier veiwing of the new kids IMAX science movie called Molecularium: Molecules to the Max at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. I was invited by Kurt Przybilla who is a toy inventor and writer on the film, and who I met at the Toy Fair in February.

It was a crazy ride into the heart of matter, zooming in and out to show us common objects and their inner atomic and molecular structures as only computer animation (and some cute characters) can show us.   I saw this in regular 2D on a small movie screen, but can’t wait to see it in its full glory as an IMAX 3D production.

As I was poking aroung the American Museum of Natural History‘s website looking to plan a trip to visit Ida and the new Extreme Mammals exhibit, I found this site for kids with all sorts of games and activities featuring many of the “Ologys” covered in the museum.

Go to the Paleontology section of the Ology website and have fun!